Imagine yourself in a life-threatening situation as a result of a mild illness or fever, merely because the most available antibiotics are no longer effective. According to a report undertaken by the ICDDRB, the efficacy of 17 widely used antibiotics in Bangladesh has substantially decreased.
Sir Alexander Fleming, the father of antibiotics and the savior of millions of lives, predicted the worst apocalypse of all time, called “The Antibiotic Apocalypse,” about 75 years ago Imagine yourself in a life-threatening situation as a result of a mild illness or fever, merely because the most available antibiotics are no longer effective. According to a report undertaken by the ICDDRB, the efficacy of 17 widely used antibiotics in Bangladesh has substantially decreased.
Sir Alexander Fleming, the father of antibiotics and the savior of millions of lives, predicted the worst apocalypse of all time, called “The Antibiotic Apocalypse,” about 75 years ago. Antibiotics, according to the WHO, have already become a global problem.
When microorganisms – microbes, fungi, viruses, and parasites – change after being exposed to antimicrobial drugs (such as antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, antimalarials, and anthelmintics), this is known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These microorganisms are commonly referred to as “superbugs.”
How did it get to this point?
AMR evolves, normally as a result of genetic mutations. However, there are a few main variables that have accelerated the transition and continue to do so. These include:
- Antibiotics are overused and misused.
Antibiotic misuse and overuse are the leading causes of antibiotic resistance, which is the most common form of AMR. Some bacteria die when we take antibiotics, but some resistant bacteria can survive and multiply. The more antibiotics we take, the more likely bacteria will develop resistance. Antibiotic usage is particularly high in some parts of the world, resulting in high concentrations of resistance that can quickly spread to other locations.
- Shortage of sanitation and hygiene in hospital facilities
Poor sanitation and hygiene procedures in healthcare facilities can disperse drug-resistant microorganisms, causing infected patients to get sicker and remain in the hospital longer. Antibiotics become more important as a result of such procedures, as patients will need to be treated with illnesses that may have been prevented altogether. In the hospital, one out of every ten adult patients with acute disease experiences a healthcare-associated infection, with a high proportion of these infections triggered by drug-resistant microorganisms.
- The application of antimicrobials in food processing
Antibiotics used uncontrollably in livestock for disease prevention and care, as well as for growth enhancement, are a major driver of AMR. This will affect humans through the ingestion of undercooked foods and food crops polluted with animal feces.
What are the solutions?
The Australian Government’s Departments of Health and Department of Agriculture and Water Management have come up with six main guidelines for reducing antibiotic resistance:
- Keep your vaccine up to date and wash your hands daily to help prevent diseases.
- To stop food-borne infections, wash fruits and vegetables and prepare food properly.
- Get acquainted with what antibiotics can and, most specifically, cannot do. Antibiotics, for example, are only effective against bacteria and are useless against colds and flu (which are caused by viruses).
- Don’t pressure the doctor for antibiotics if he or she thinks they aren’t required. Inquire into other options for treating the symptoms.
- Don’t use antibiotics that haven’t been prescribed to you
- Follow the doctor’s instructions when taking antibiotics recommended by him or her.
Tahani Tahmid Elma
Intern-YSSE
